Title: Mystery surrounds ‘God’s’ billboards Post by: Shammu on February 20, 2006, 01:49:10 PM Mystery surrounds ‘God’s’ billboards
BY ANA MCKENZIE The Brownsville Herald There’s one billboard that stands out among the crowd advertising health care, car sales and upcoming political figures. It’s completely white with a few black words that read things like “You think it’s hot here?” and “Let’s meet me at my house Sunday before the game.” The advertiser isn’t someone you can directly call or e-mail. The “advertiser” is God. “The messages are often playful but are generally positive in na-ture,” said the Rev. Robert E. Maher of St. Joseph’s church in Edinburg. “I applaud the effort to gently remind people of some of the more important things in life.” Though Maher hasn’t spoken about the billboards to his congrega-tion, he acknowledges their effectiveness and realizes the advertiser’s sincere motives. But, the advertiser cannot be contacted or praised because no one knows who it is. In 1998, an anonymous donor contacted an advertising agency with an idea for a local billboard campaign that would get people to think about a daily relationship with God. The agency came up with the idea of creating a series of quotes from God to be placed on billboards, according to Godspeaks.com, the billboard’s Web site. The idea was simple. White boards with black type all signed by God, according to the Web site. The Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA), an or-ganization comprised of companies that own and rent billboards, offered to use the sayings as their national public service campaign for 1999. About 10,000 billboards emerged in 200 American cities — all free-of-charge. The space to display the billboards amounted to an equivalent $15 million. Attempts to contact Lamar Advertising Agency, which owns many of the local billboards, for comment were unsuccessful. “I don’t know how affective they are,” said the Rev. Scott Luckey of the Faith Presbyterian Church on Los Ebanos Road. “But sometimes, you have to get things across very quickly, so in that sense, I think they can be affective.” According to Godspeaks.com, the OAAA said the billboards are “a positive way to get people thinking about spirituality and increase the numbers of those who are going to church.” “No one has ever come to our church because of the billboards to my knowledge,” Luckey said. “But, I’m sure someone out there has been spiritually affected by them.” Zenya Pepin, a self-proclaimed agnostic, can’t help but “chuckle” when she drives by them. “I just think it’s great advertising,” she said. “But, they don’t make me want to get up and go to church the next day or anything.” Mystery surrounds ‘God’s’ billboards (http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_more.php?id=69408_0_10_0_C) Title: Re: Mystery surrounds ‘God’s’ billboards Post by: lightsavour on March 05, 2006, 01:30:02 PM I know people who have verses on billboards near highways, and people who have verses written on theyre vehicles in big letters on the side, or back window. I'm not comparing the two, but I think these things are all very effective. Any thought that is planted for the purpose of God is remembered, just like the evil thoughts of the devil. So it is just a matter of seeing that one persons miniscule change in thinking because of something like this is a positive effect that God will most deffinately use.
the billboards would be in the same category as churches using sports for outreach work, or music. the sports and music is really just fleshly wisdom, but it has the potential to translate into spiritual wisdom in the hearts of many. These things are all good, but the people doing them have to be active in prayer to hear Gods direction no matter what it is. I pray for God to bless all of our tiny efforts, because the Bible says that he hears us, and he wants to bless them. lightsavour out Title: Re: Mystery surrounds ‘God’s’ billboards Post by: Chaplain Bob on March 09, 2006, 04:18:29 PM I believe we need to use every means possible to "get the Word out". But not at the expense of personal "witnessing" (remembering that a witness is one who testifies to what he has seen or experienced).
I am personally working on establishing a cinema ministry to reach the lost and inspire the Believers through films. I believe there are many people who would never darken the door of a church but who would go to a movie. And today there are some fine evangelical films being made that can be mixed with secular entertainment films. So whether it's billboards, tracts, computers, television, radio or films let's use them. Why so Satan be the only one with a great ad campaign going? Title: Re: Mystery surrounds ‘God’s’ billboards Post by: Shammu on March 09, 2006, 05:17:33 PM I believe we need to use every means possible to "get the Word out". But not at the expense of personal "witnessing" (remembering that a witness is one who testifies to what he has seen or experienced). AMEN!! C BI am personally working on establishing a cinema ministry to reach the lost and inspire the Believers through films. I believe there are many people who would never darken the door of a church but who would go to a movie. And today there are some fine evangelical films being made that can be mixed with secular entertainment films. So whether it's billboards, tracts, computers, television, radio or films let's use them. Why so Satan be the only one with a great ad campaign going? |